The Church-Goer

CHAPTER 22

A month later...

I stared at the prescription paper smiling. I completed my physical therapy, and my stitches were off. Regardless, I was still chugging down antibiotics. The good news was, the doctor issued a clean bill of health, for sex. I laughed, knowing how mischievous Nancy and I have been for the past month. Every day, I woke up to an alarm, and it wasn't my bedside clock. Nope, it wasn't. Now that I was okay, I had to start doing my part, in the bedroom of course. Dirty thoughts filled my mind, and I thought of Nancy. We had a few more weeks before her belly protruded and I wanted her to feel my weight on her every night. I smiled, knowing she will definitely like that.

Despite my intriguing plans, I had to take care of some other business before I gave Nancy my full attention. I got in my new Bentley and made my way to Maido, the adjacent village. It was dusty road but that didn't stop me or what I was here to do. After asking for direction, I pulled up in the Betty's compound, the name sake of Betty. Emma's and Betty's grandmother was nowhere in sight. If she was inside, she would have popped her head out to find out who parked outside her house. I got out and took a look around to find Betty and Emma seated on a mat under a tree. After a few moments, they woke and ran to me hugging me, smiles on their faces and questions. I told them I was here to take them home after I spoke to their grandmother. At the mention of their grandmother, their moods changed and their facial expression turned startled when a stern voice called their names from behind me.

I turned to meet an old lady with no wrinkle on her face. She might have the blessings of youth. I introduced myself and told her that, but my compliment was met with a huff and a 'what do you want?' After convincing her to give me a moment of her time, I finally sat on a stool outside her house with Emma and Betty back on the far end of the compound where I found them. I pleaded their case, which made their grandmother angry and told me to leave as I would not leave with her grandchildren until she was sure they were free of demons. I laughed, coming in close to tell her the tale of her exploits when she was much younger than them. Stories I was told by surviving granduncle, who from his smiles as he told the stories was clear as day he remembered them and her quite fondly. How she was mischievous with him, his brothers, separately and together not to mention some girls along the way before she settled down with her late husband. I told her I would recite them for her if she would allow me to spend the night. Her granddaughters would appreciate a story by the fire. My words shocked. Her anger making her face red. 'Let those who are innocent cast the first stone.'

My rendition of the Bible made shame cloud her face. After a few moments of silence, she got up and went inside her house. I stayed seated outside. Betty and Emma stayed where they were but they stared. I reassured them with a smile and a wink. A sat patient and after an hour, she came out calling the girls and telling them she talked with their father and they are ready to go home. They looked thrilled and their excitement showed as they put their luggage in the trunk of the car. As a parting gift, I gave their grandmother a big shopping bag with essentials she could find only in the city and as she took them, I told her I hoped that her acceptance of the gift meant that from now on Betty and Emma's lives won't be clouded or judged? Her final goodbye was a nod.

I got Betty and Emma home in the wee hours of the day. Their parents were waiting for them outside, their father looking stern as usual and their mother happy, most likely because she missed her daughters. As I helped to unload their luggage, they looked reluctant. I hugged them both, reassuring them everything was alright and if it was not, they knew where to find me. They nodded, and I backed my car up on the road, I saw their mother hug them tight, their father still stern as usual. He locked eyes with me, and I waved and smiled. I didn't have any secrets of his he would want to keep from prying ears but I didn't need any since I knew his mother would keep him in check. Thank God all storied I was told by grand uncle while transitioning into manhood were true and by transition, I mean being taught how to hold my liquor.